Scott Russell: Daytona AMA XR1200 Debut

Harley-Davidson will return to the historic high banks of Daytona International Speedway March 10-11 with one of the Speedway’s most legendary stars, Scott "Mr. Daytona" Russell, when the AMA Pro Racing Vance & Hines XR1200 series kicks off the 2011 season during Bike Week.

A record five-time winner of the Daytona 200 race, former Harley-Davidson factory VR1000 Superbike rider, and 1993 World Superbike Champion, Russell will ride a Harley Owners Group sponsored XR1200 motorcycle wearing his favorite No. 4 in his first AMA Pro motorcycle race at the Speedway since retiring from the series in 2002.

Scott Russell says: "I’m excited to get on one of those Harley XRs. I ran some endurance races last year and I think I still have some gas left in the tank. It will be fun to race with the rest of the guys at Daytona and hopefully run up front."

In addition to Russell, the Vance & Hines XR1200 class will feature a large grid of riders with a vast range of talent and experience, from veteran stars such as 2007 Daytona 200 winner Steve Rapp (Parts Unlimited) and former AMA Flat Track Grand National Champion Joe Kopp (Latus Racing) to young guns like Michael Beck (J&P Cycles) and brothers Kyle Wyman (RMR/Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing) and Travis Wyman (Harv’s Harley-Davidson).

Based on largely stock Harley-Davidson XR1200 motorcycles equipped with a race-preparation kit provided by series sponsor Vance & Hines, the series brings the exciting rumble of Harley-Davidson V-Twin engines back to AMA Pro Road Racing at Daytona for the first time since the end of the VR1000 Superbike program in 2001.

The seven-lap XR1200 feature race is scheduled to start at 3:15 pm EST on March 11 (subject to change). At least twenty racers are expected to make the grid at Daytona the largest in the two-year history of the class, which expands to a nine-round schedule in 2011 after a debut midway through the 2010 season.

As of Feb. 22, the following racers have posted entries for the Daytona XR1200 race (in order of number plate):